If [defensive item] is a CCW, you might want to try to cut back on reaching for it. One of the biggest tells for someone carrying concealed is how they constantly feel for their weapon...
I use a gunvault by the bed (I don't have kids in the house, but would feel bad about leaving a loaded handgun out anyway, just in case someone broke in when unattended, shot himself by accident, and I got sued, among other risks like a houseguest or maid or repairman) http://www.amazon.com/Gunvault-GV2000S-Multi-Vault-Standard/...
I'm not sure if I'd trust it to resist serious attack, but chording it a few times gives a reasonably large keyspace, opens quickly, and presents the weapon (loaded and chambered, no external manual safety on the glock 19) in a consistent position for drawing, so it's faster than just leaving it loose in a drawer.
In my trailer or tent in Iraq/Afghanistan, I just put a spare holster between the mattress and bedframe and slept with it there, which worked well, but was a higher risk environment and zero legal risk.
