Reporter Jack Aitchison spends a night on Glasgow's streets with volunteers from Help the Homeless

But there’s also a fourth: Glasgow’s not-so-secret homeless community. You see them during the day outside our stations, clasping to a plastic cup for any spare change you can offer. You see them at night on our street corners, tucked away outside shops seeking any warmth they can find.

And there are the ones you don’t see. Living in temporary accommodation with no real certainty ahead. Homelessness is something we’re all aware of, but very few have ever had the misfortune to experience first hand.

On Saturday, I wanted to change that. I joined Help the Homeless for their annual sleep out because I wanted that insight.

READ MORE: Help the Homeless Glasgow warns of increased number of homeless deaths during city-wide sleep-out

I found myself tucked in out of the rain at the entrance to the Macintosh tea rooms and settled in for the night. Close enough to the large group of participants but slightly secluded. It was a halfway point between community and isolation.

As scores of merry Christmas parties made their way by things felt less than festive.

Temperatures dropped to around two degrees, so if you think about it we were probably quite fortunate.

With temperatures continuously dropping, it’s only a miracle more bodies are not recovered from the streets.

This wasn’t a true representation of being homeless. Far from it. Everyone was in high spirits, with plenty of hot drinks to see us through the night - and comedian Gary Faulds made sure there were plenty of laughs.

But I struggled. By 3am, I had enough and wanted to leave. I wanted my warm bed. I wanted heating. I wanted to sleep without being worried about whether or not the next homeless person to walk past would be friendly or not.

Reporter Jack Aitchison with Anton Reilly and Helen McMillan from Help the Homeless

READ MORE: Charities warn of homelessness deaths in Glasgow as temperatures plummet

Our city is a loving, caring place and I’m proud to call myself a Glaswegian. But at night, it changes completely.

It’s loud and unpredictable. And with temperatures continuously dropping, it’s only a miracle more bodies are not recovered from the streets.

It’s hard to put into words the fear of being so exposed. I was in full view of anyone and anything that wanted to do me harm, defenceless to what is going around me.

But at least I got to go home.

A full night on the streets defeated me, but it was only one night. A warm shower and a power nap and I’ll be completely fine.

This is a daily routine for so many. For too many. And it pains me that it’s happening in our city.

So the next time you’re walking through our city, I beg of you - spare a thought for those less fortunate. We don’t know how lucky we have it.