Body & HealthHow it works
How your brain notices you're short of water.
Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus measure the salt concentration of your blood. If it rises by just 1 to 2 percent because water is missing, thirst appears and the hormone vasopressin is released, making the kidneys conserve water. When you drink, thirst fades within seconds, long before the water reaches your blood: mouth and throat report the volume in advance.
Useful: That advance signal stops you drinking far beyond what you need.
Source: en.wikipedia.org