first; get some electronic muffs and keep them right beside the bed. In any situation, put them on first, turned up. You will now hear scuffs on the carpet, breathing and quiet talking, rubs against the wall. A nice side benefit is that if you do shoot you will likely not be permanently deafened (as you surely will be if you touch off a shotgun round in a hall or confined space).
second; consider a pistol caliber carbine with a nice red dot. It does not make the cool sound of a shotgun slide but when defending your life cool is irrelevant. A pistol caliber carbine can be had in 9mm, 40 or 45, 45LC and 38/357. ALL of them are easier to get used to shooting, all of them are easier to hit with and as we all know hits are the only thing that counts.
third; When invasion is detected, send the dog and you get behind something, preferably bullet resistant with a telephone and a very bright flashlight close to hand. If the invader gets to where you are put the dot on them and begin your press/reset sequences until they are no longer in front of you. Then immediately call for an ambulance to get the poor lost soul some help because after all, you are not a murderer, you are in fear of your life and that of your family. Use the light to verify stillness in the invader.
Unless you have specific training in room clearing and practice it, seeking the invader is usually not a winning idea. Ambush is the way to go.
JMHO
Thank you. That all makes sense, especially the muffs. But I have a gorgeous 14-year-old daughter upstairs. Not going to hide when I hear something. Will send the dog out, sweep and blast. Will get the muffs.
We ARE installing a tornado/SAFE room which I hope my daughter will get to in any emergency. Spare glock behind the safe in there and she knows how to use it...but it’s downstairs and she’s up.