Indeed I never realized how high the level of the background white noise inside a pressurized cabin really is until I started wearing ANC cup headphones in a plane.

Removing them after a few minutes to talk to someone always feels like I am getting assaulted with noise.

ear plugs + over-ear n/c headphones + white noise or jazz music playing works great

I got some earplugs designed for people who deal with sensory issues and they have completely transformed being on a flight from actively annoying to passively acceptable.

Fell asleep for the first time on a plane and I'm never going back.

Earplugs are a godsend on flights. I've found one more trick. No caffeine on days when I fly. That way, I fall asleep easily all day long.