Un-needed Adrenaline

My windows open out into our building's parking area.  It is, like many in this area, an above ground, car port (so a ceiling over parking spots) with lights.  

The lights, in theory, were to give us some safety.  

They don't.  Not really.  Not for the cars anyway.  Our vehicles get broken into regularly.  Both those in the parking area and those on the street.

Because I sleep with windows open most of the year, I hear what's going on in the parking lot.  Sometimes someone coming home will wake me up, but I tend to sleep through the "normal" noises.  What I don't sleep through (well not all the time anyway) is "not normal" noises.  Like people in the lot who are walking around.

My brain has a fairly good idea of what it sounds like when a tenant is at their car or getting in or our of their car.  There's a certain cadence and time line.

People who are NOT tenants and wanting to either see into our vehicles (for reasons of theft) or use the area for rest or drug consumption - their movement patterns sound different.  And often wake me up or stop me from falling asleep or continuing to read.  Like last night.

I'd not had my lights off for too long when I heard "someone walking".  Shuffling.  Slowly.  And not coming towards the building entry door.

I paused, I listened, and then I got out of bed.  (It's what I do in these situations, I don't want someone breaking in if I can help it.)

I almost always have a debate about calling the police, but I don't want to have to wait for them to show up and respond and I know the person could use that time to break into a vehicle so I usually end up just shouting at them to go away.  

I usually shout a swear word followed by instructions "leave" or "get off property" or whatever, but I can't help but throw a please in there.  Like "get off of our property please".  I find it weird every time it happens.  Oh well.

But more than that, doing the yelling spikes my adrenaline.  Badly.  Like last night I was shaking after I yelled, and watched them move on.  Whenever it happens, it's usually late.  This was around midnight.  Sometimes it's around 2 am or later.  And the adrenaline spike ruins my sleep for the night.  It sucks.

I also, last night, got up and put on my glasses but I'd already yelled by then and they'd left, but the time or two I have called police or let police know and they ask what the person looked like I have to say "I wasn't wearing my glasses so I don't know" which I know isn't helpful.  

So, yeah... I wish this wasn't a thing, but it was.  And I wish I didn't hear it and feel like I have to deal with it but I do.  I wish my body would not "fight or flight" on me but it does.  Oh, life, why are you so... like this?