“...and it is in fact leaning up against the nightstand.”
I have #4 buck in mine and slugs and 00 buck in the shell holder on the butt. Birdshot is for birds.
Shotguns do not have the safety mechanisms that hand guns have for being dropped (or falling over leaning against something), so it is best NOT to have a shell in the chamber even if the safety is on.
I have mine stored magazine full minus one (less stress on the spring), chamber empty, safety off.
I figured the same, less stress on the spring. So my Mossberg 590 is stored minus 3, alternating shot/slugs. Chamber empty, safety on, and due to California law (grandkids in and out of the home) I have a trigger lock but key accessible to me (CA law sucks).