I keep a magazine loaded IN my gun with one in the chamber. I carried it, and lived with it, in this manner for many years - day and night. To keep it in a different condition would be strange and contrary to my ingrained training.
However, I do not have children in the house and no children will be entering my house. Access to the pistol is also controlled. Someone would need a code to get access to the pistol.
I also keep the magainze full in a shotgun I have in the residence. However, there's no round in the chamber. The sound of chambering a round in a pump shotgun will allow an intruder think twice about remaining in the house. It's likely that the sound will deescalate the situation and cause them to leave the residence without requiring any serious action from me.
I prefer the use of a shotgun in a home defense situation over a pistol. A pistol to me is only used in situations where rifles or shotguns are not carried. It's secondary purpose is to fight my way to a rifle or shotgun.
As for those other questions, please be led by your training, comfort, situation and laws of your state. I'm not going to answer them for you. Each one will provide different insight than my answers could ever provide, and consequently they will lead you to a different conclusion.
However, I will offer this idea. If you're keeping your pistol next to the bed to handle nightime intruders, consider getting a locked container to keep near you. A combination lock or fingerprint access will allow immediate access to the pistol without having to scurry around the room trying to put your gun together as the idiot is chasing you.
Another consideration is this . . . Most burglaries happen, not at night, but in the daytime. They happen when you're away from home at work and are committed by some neighbor's little darling. Instead of going to school, he's out burglarizing homes. It isn't always the case, but the odds are that your house will be invaded in the day and not the night.
That's one reason to keep it locked in a container but available to you and not the neighbor's little darlin'. You can get access because you know the combo, but he can't get to it when you're away and working hard.
