Is it Safe to Sleep with a Gun Under Your Pillow?

Keeping a gun at a close distance while you sleep is something most of us do to protect ourselves from home invaders at night. While many people use gun safes and nightstands to hide their guns when they sleep, certain people choose to keep the gun underneath their pillow. While this may seem an enticing option due to easy access, we cannot stress how dangerous it is to keep your gun under your pillow enough! Read on to know why. 

But before we proceed, I recommend this guide for the best nightstand gun safe in the market!

Is it safe to keep your gun under the pillow while you sleep?

No! It is never safe to keep your gun under the pillow while you sleep. Granted, you can quickly access the gun from that spot if you want to ambush an intruder or maybe just feel at ease in general. But the gun under the pillow can do more harm than good, especially if you’re more of a restless sleeper who often stirs while sleeping. If this is the case, you certainly want to store your gun in a safer spot. (1)

Why is it dangerous to sleep with a gun under your pillow?

When you sleep, you might roll out of the bed several times before you find your comfort spot. On any other day, it would seem like a harmless act. But on the day when you place the gun under your pillow, that’s a ticking time bomb right there. Even when you point the muzzle of the gun away from the direction of your head, even then, the weapon could prove to be dangerous. 

This is because, when you’re sound asleep, you’re likely to move a lot. Even the best of us roll on the bed before we find a comfortable position. Amidst all the movement, the gun could change its position. 

The worst-case scenario is that the muzzle points right towards your head or towards the body of the person sleeping next to you; both situations are equally hazardous. From here on out, a simple pull of the trigger could make things worse. Believe us, the scenario is more likely than you think. 

Another situation that could happen if you have a gun under the pillow is that the gun might roll out from its designated spot. The outcome would be – the gun is either exposed right on the bed, easily noticeable from the doorway. Or, the gun drops on the floor, pulling the trigger along the way. Even if the trigger does not tug, the firearm could be exposed. 

If you indeed have the misfortune of encountering an intruder, they could conveniently take the gun away from you, leaving you completely unprotected and vulnerable to danger. That would negate the whole point of having a gun under the pillow, won’t it now? Even if you have shoved the gun inside a holster and then placed it under the pillow, the likelihood of it going off because of the movement is high nonetheless. There’s no way around it. 

What are the alternatives to keeping the gun under your pillow?

While sleeping with the gun underneath the pillow is the most unwise decision you could make, you have plenty of alternative options to choose from as well. (2)

For example, gun safes and nightstands are two popular spots where people choose to hide their guns when they sleep. They offer quick accessibility, with complete security from self-harm and theft. You can buy these online or make a DIY safe to house your firearms. But ensure that the quick accessibility is not compromised in any situation. 

But if pillows are not the safest to hide your gun then, where to keep your gun when you sleep? And one of the recommendations is a nightstand! So, here’s one learning guide also that you may want to check on how to mount a nightstand gun-safe! Until next time!

References
(1) restless sleeper – https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a22567439/what-is-diy-meaning/
(2) pillow – https://www.thespruce.com/types-of-bed-pillows-350491