Very close to my plan. I can't do earplugs, but I can do earbuds with the volume on low.I fly to Asia pretty regularly for work. I've had good and bad experiences, but here's what I've landed on for minimum disruption:
-Dont consume too much alcohol on the flight. Some is good as it mellows me out, but one too many will ruin me
-Always get an aisle seat. An extra inch or 2 to lean toward the aisle is huge
-Take melatonin. It helps me drift off to sleep occasionally and also mellows me out
-Dont eat much. Never eat the eggs. Always choose the Asian meal. When in doubt I usually grab a bag of jerky, nuts, and/or Kind bars to keep my stomach from growling. Plane food has a tendency to make me nauseous.
-Double plug. Foam earplugs + noise cancelling headphones = I don't GAF how loud the kid behind my screams
-Sleep as much as possible. Unusually wear a hoodie, pull it over my head, then drape my blanket over the front of my body and head. Creates a bit of a cocoon and keeps random lights/movement from bothering me. If I'm lucky I'll get 30-90 minutes at a time and maybe 4+ naps on a 12-14 hr flight
-Stretch. I usually touch my toes a few times whenever I get up.
-Get as many steps as possible during the layover.
-Bring extra water into the plane. Drink it.
Typically I'll arrive at my destination in the evening. I get to the hotel, crash, and force myself out of bed at ~5:30 and get some exercise. Light cardio, light weights if available, or just basic bodyweight movements in my room if thats all that's available. This for me is key. With a good workout and a good breakfast I can power through the first day and have no jet lag after that.
Disclaimer: I think the 12hr time change is easier to get over than 4-8 hours. Maybe because I've done it a lot but it seems like I can just suffer th the first day and get switched over while a 4 hour change I feel like I never really acclimate to.
"Always choose the Asian meal". .... This. 100%