The aim was to describe current reports in the scientific literature on sleep in the intensive care environment and sleep deprivation associated with painful experiences in premature infant. A systematic search was conducted for studies on sleep, pain, premature birth and care of the newborn. Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, VHL and SciELO databases were consulted. The association between sleep deprivation and pain generates effects that are observed in the brain and the behavioral and physiological activity of preterm infants. Polysomnography in intensive care units and pain management in neonates allow comparison with the first year of life and term infants. We have found few references and evidence that neonatal care programs can influence sleep development and reduce the negative impact of the environment. This evidence is discussed from the perspective of how hospital intervention can improve the development of premature infants.Keywords: sleep, pain, prematurity, polysomnography, neonatal intensive care.RESUMO O objetivo foi descrever o estado atual na literatura científica sobre privação do sono associado a experiências dolorosas no prematuro e o papel na evolução do sono em ambiente de terapia intensiva. Realizou-se uma busca sistemática para estudos sobre sono, dor, prematuridade e programas de atenção ao neonato. Foram consultados as bases Web-of-Knowledge, MEDLINE, LILACS, Biblioteca Cochrane, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, BVS e SciELO. A associação entre privação do sono e dor gera efeitos que são observados na atividade cerebral, fisiológica e comportamental dos prematuros. A polissonografia nas unidades intensivas e o manejo da dor em neonatos permitem comparação no primeiro ano de vida com crianças nascidas a termo. Encontraram-se poucas evidências de que programas de cuidado neonatal podem influenciar o desenvolvimento do sono e diminuir o impacto negativo do ambiente. Estas evidências são discutidas na perspectiva de como a intervenção hospitalar pode melhorar o desenvolvimento do prematuro.Palavras-chave: sono, dor, prematuridade, polissonografia, terapia intensiva neonatal.In recent decades there has been a considerable increase in the number of premature births and in the survival rate of these babies as a consequence of also increasing the effectiveness of intervention in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This relatively recent phenomenon has opened various fronts of research on the development of the fetus outside the uterus and its challenges. Among the areas that have aroused more interest and generated publications are the investigations on the development of sleep and pain perception and the future implications of sleep deprivation and exposure to pain at early ages. The uterine environment is suitable for the full growth and development of the human fetus site. The challenge of preterm birth and hospitalization in the NICU promotes an abrupt environmental difference for newborns which can bring challenges for future development. The inst...